A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY CATHOLIC EDUCATION

The story of St. Mary School begins in 1890 with the establishment of St. Rose Academy. Five courageous young women, who then became the nucleus of the Dominican Sisters of Edmonds, traveled to Aberdeen and founded a school for the Catholic children of the area. It was these sisters who, thirty-six years later, became the educational and spiritual leaders of the first parochial school in Grays Harbor. Soon after, Fr. Michael O'Donnell realized there was a need to build a larger parochial facility to replace St. Rose Academy. He commissioned architect C. Frank Mahon to design the school, which would cost $65,000.

St. Mary School officially opened in March of 1926. The Progress noted at the time, "St. Mary School is a concrete, fireproof building, with eight classrooms, as well as offices, closets, playrooms, etc. It is modern to the nth degree and Pastor and people are indeed proud that they have added another fine unit to the chain of parish schools of the diocese."

Since its opening in 1926, St. Mary School has survived the highs and lows of our ever-changing community.  In 1961, Fr. Charles E. Kelly undertook a major renovation of the school building and following the economic turbulence of the 1970s and 1980s, St. Mary School emerged as a cherished and valued Catholic school. With the clustering of Grays Harbor parishes in 1995, the school became a regional school, supported by the five parishes of western Grays Harbor.

In 1996 the school's programs were expanded to include a pre-Kindergarten program for four-year-old students, and the following year, a preschool program for three-year-old students was developed. In 2015 St. Mary School converted 6th through 8th grade into a full middle school model and today SMS offers a strong academic program, as well as, a variety of programs in technology, the arts, and science.

Current efforts to secure the school's financial future include an endowment fund, the Mary Drake Scholarship Fund, and an annual outreach to alumni called Friends of St. Mary School.

The past has strengthened St. Mary School and today it is a vital part of the ministries of the Catholic parishes of Grays Harbor.